Smart Bitches, Trashy Books » Posts

This guest review is from Danielle Fritz. Danielle is a former librarian who has a special affection for children’s lit and books about the funeral industry. She first cut her criticism teeth a...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/reviews/peaches-and-honey-these-immortal-truths-by-r-raeta/

Welcome back to Wednesday Links, everybody! I love hearing about all of your yummy fall foods. I do have to make a point to pick up some candy corn soon. I am an unabashed candy corn and candy pu...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/10/links-romancing-the-vote-yarn-more/

THE STAND-IN RECOMMENDED: The Stand-In by Lily Chu is $2.51! This is a debut contemporary romance. Elyse gave this one an A : So we have a celebrity romance, women being friends and helping e...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/10/lisa-kleypas-three-contemporaries/

This guest review comes from Lisa! A longtime romance aficionado and frequent commenter to SBTB, Lisa is a queer Latine critic with a sharp tongue and lots of opinions. She frequently reviews at ...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/reviews/three-reasons-to-run-by-jackie-lau/

THE UNDERMINING OF TWYLA AND FRANK The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen is $2.99! This is book two in the Hart and Mercy series and we loved book one. This newest release came ou...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/10/singers-fantasy-more/

This HaBO is from Jaime, who wants to find this romance. CW for mentions of sexual assault: This is driving me up a wall! Trying to remember the name of a book. A desperate woman (poor, abused, o...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/10/habo-kissing-in-the-feed-room/

Happy Tuesday! I think this is the first time this year that a new month as started on a Tuesday. While it may be October, the onslaught of holiday romances has begun. Definitely a mix this week ...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/10/hide-your-wallet-october-1st-release-week/

THE LILY OF LUDGATE HILL The Lily of Ludgate Hill by Mimi Matthews is $1.99! This is the third book in the Belles of London series and came out this January. Thank you to everyone who let us ...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/cookies-and-historical-romance/

Welcome back to Cover Snark! Elyse: Did they just glue someone else’s head onto this body ? Tara: I’d need a drink, too, if that happened to me. Sarah: “And you may ask yourself, how did I ...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/cover-snark-whistling-bellybuttons/

Looking at the pictures of the complete devastation of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, Florida, Tennessee and elsewhere is bringing back some hefty sense memories of Hurricane Sandy hitting N...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/helping-hurricane-helene-victims/

Welcome back to Get Rec’d! I feel like this is one of more eclectic selections we’ve done. I have a graphic novel with samurais, a man turning into a shark, non-fiction about the myth of the ...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/get-recd-with-amanda-volume-75/

Happy Saturday! We’re wrapping up September with our second Whatcha Reading of the  month. Here’s how we’re capping off our own TBR piles this week: … Shana: I just finished the perfect ...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/whatcha-reading-september-2024-part-two/

THE TRANSCRIPT FOR PODCAST 634. CLIMBING MT. FUJI WITH COURTNEY MILAN HAS BEEN POSTED! This podcast transcript was handcrafted with meticulous skill by Garlic Knitter. Many thanks. ❤ C...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/podcast-634-your-transcript-is-here/

THIS SPELLS DISASTER This Spells Disaster by Tori Anne Martin is $1.99! This was featured on both Hide Your Wallet and Cover Awe. I feel like if you enjoyed the Witches of Thistle Grove serie...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/highlights-from-todays-kindle-daily-deals-6/

Courtney Milan is here to talk about her newest book, The Earl Who Isn’t, and about climbing Mt. Fuji! Along the way we talk about training, the shifting style of historical romances, and audi...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/podcast/634-climbing-mt-fuji-with-courtney-milan/

THE LATE MRS. WILLOUGHBY The Late Mrs. Willoughby by Claudia Gray is $2.99! This is book two of the Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney Mysteries series. I remember Sarah mentioning and being excited for th...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/eloisa-james-horror-more/

This guest review is from Danielle Fritz. Danielle is a former librarian who has a special affection for children’s lit and books about the funeral industry. She first cut her criticism teeth a...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/reviews/haunted-ever-after-by-jen-deluca/

Welcome back to Links! Thank you all for the well wishes last week. Engaged life has been great and I’m still basking in the bliss of celebrating with my person. I was also able to usher in the...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/links-fashion-cat-cafes-more/

RARE VIGILANCE RECOMMENDED: Rare Vigilance by M.A. Grant is $1.99! Lara gave this one an A : If you need to escape from the world for a bit and revel in a dangerous paranormal, then this boo...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/another-historical-mystery-dukes-more/

THE ROOK RECOMMENDED: The Rook by Daniel O’Malley $2.99! Carrie loves the series, especially the sequel  Stiletto. It’s urban fantasy set in London with a badass cast of characters. But s...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/hockey-romance-a-historical-mystery-more/

This HaBO is from Maria, who wants to find this romance: The book is a historical romance book with vikings. it’s an older book, probably published before 2000, but I don’t know the exact yea...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/habo-viking-hero-saves-her-from-a-boat/

Happy Tuesday! We’re closing out September with a handful of new books. How are we all feeling about the releases this month? I’m personally ready for some spooky, atmospheric coziness next m...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/hide-your-wallet-september-24th-release-week/

LONG LIVE EVIL RECOMMENDED – Sarah bursts in and says, “OH HOT DIGGITY: Long Live Evil is $2.99!” This book came out on 27 August and was a bestseller in the UK and in the US. It was recom...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/horror-magic-more/

This book is charming in every possible way. Maggie Chase is a cosy mystery writer. Her parents died when she was 18 and she’s in the process of recovering from finding out her best friend and ...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/reviews/the-most-wonderful-crime-of-the-year-by-ally-carter/

MOLLY MOLLOY & THE ANGEL OF DEATH Molly Molloy & the Angel of Death by Maria Vale is 99c as a Kindle Daily Deal for the US and Canada! I highly suggest listening to the podcast we did with Mari...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/today-only-99c-for-molly-molloy-the-angel-of-death-by-maria-vale/

Thank you to everyone who participated in our Summer Bingo bonanza! We loved seeing you share your bingo cards on social media. Some of you even printed our a physical card to mark off – love t...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/thank-you-for-playing-sbtb-summer-bingo-2024/

Our latest bestseller list is brought to you by balloons, cake, and our affiliate sales data.

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/sbtb-bestsellers-september-7-september-20/

Welcome to Book Beat! Book Beat aims to highlight other books that we may hear about through friends, social media, or other sources. We could see a gorgeous ad! Or find a new-to-us author on a l...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/book-beat-mafia-romance-historical-fiction-more/

THE TRANSCRIPT FOR PODCAST 633. RT REWIND: SEPTEMBER 2015 ADS & FEATURES HAS BEEN POSTED! This podcast transcript was handcrafted with meticulous skill by Garlic Knitter. Many thanks. �...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/podcast-633-your-transcript-is-ready/

FOR HER CONSIDERATION For Her Consideration by Amy Spalding is $3.99! I remember mentioning this one in my Book Depository post  because the UK cover is so gorgeous and this one feels more no...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/historical-mysteries-non-fiction-about-baking-more/

The ads and features of the September 2015 issue of Romantic Times are a nine-layer cake of wonderment and weird. Side trips include: Janet Dailey and who is writing her books (we don’t know) l...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/podcast/633-rt-rewind-september-2015-ads-features/

In this week’s podcast episode, we’re looking at the incredible ads and features for the September 2015 issue of RT Magazine. Thank you to Mari for this issue, and thank you to Alison for co-...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/romantic-times-rewind-september-2015-ads-features/

THE HURRICANE WARS The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon is $1.99! This was Guanzon’s debut and is a fantasy romance. I believe Elyse mentioned this one on a previous Hide Your Wallet. This is a...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/non-fiction-fantasy-more/

This Rec League came from Kim. Thanks, Kim! I just read Rachel Reid’s excellent m/m hockey romance Time to Shine, and am looking for more “golden retriever”-style MMCs. Can be any gender pa...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/the-rec-league-golden-retriever-energy/

Welcome back to Wednesday Links! How is everyone?! Big news for me, as of Monday, I’m engaged! It’s very exciting. I’m recording the next RT Rewind with Sarah tomorrow and I’m sure I’ll...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/links-more-romance-bookstores-knitting-more/

THE SECRET LIVES OF COUNTRY GENTLEMEN RECOMMENDED: The Secret Lives of Country Gentleman by KJ Charles is $1.99! Carrie gave this one a B+ : The strengths of this book are in the balancing of...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/mary-balogh-dark-lords-more/

This Saturday, 21 September I’m attempting to moderate a panel on Rrrrrromantasy! with Kit Rocha, Kimberly Lemming, and Leslye Penelope for the Northern Hearts Virtual Conference!   We won’...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/rrrrromantasy-at-northern-hearts-virtual-conference/

This guest review is from Crystal Anne! Crystal Anne with An E comes to us from a sunny clime, but prefers to remain a pale indoor cat. She enjoys reading, cross-stitching something nerdy, going ...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/reviews/the-x-files-perihelion/

MY SEASON OF SCANDAL RECOMMENDED: My Season of Scandal by Julie Anne Long is $1.99! Lara reviewed this and gave it an A : I sit here stunned. Yes, I have written this review twice. The first ...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/magic-caroline-linden-more/

This HaBO comes from Rebecca, who wants to find this romance: I’m hoping the all-knowing Bitchery can help me track down a book I read a few years ago. The style is definitely Cassie Cole or Kr...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/habo-park-ranger-menage/

Welcome back to Hide Your Wallet! We have a dozen selections this week. We’re approaching fall, so you know there is some horror, paranormal romance, and books with Gothic settings. But also, t...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/hide-your-wallet-september-17th-release-week/

THE SEVEN YEAR SLIP The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston is $1.99! Thank you to everyone who let us know about this sale and fingers crossed it’s still discounted. Have any of you read this o...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/historicals-cathy-yardley-more/

I’m BACK! My Dropbox runneth over with contemporary romance covers that feature a single color, and my brain dances like a kaleidoscope of candy. If you’re just arriving here at the mayhem, w...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/contemporary-romance-color-of-the-year-peach-pink/

Welcome back, everyone! I tried very hard to not have this be all nonfiction and was able to go half and half this time. Yay! For fiction, we have a historical romance and a fantasy novella. For ...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/get-recd-with-amanda-volume-74/

Happy weekend, everyone! We have reached September! Here’s what we’re reading lately: … Lara: I’m bravely continuing my hunt for new release vampire romance novels. So far all the ones I�...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/whatcha-reading-september-2024-part-one/

THE TRANSCRIPT FOR PODCAST 632. BEING FINE WITH FRIENDS, WITH JOLENTA GREENBERG AND KRISTEN MEINZER HAS BEEN POSTED! This podcast transcript was handcrafted with meticulous skill by Garlic...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/podcast-632-your-transcript-is-ready/

JUST PLAYING HOUSE RECOMMENDED: Just Playing House by Farah Heron is $2.99 and a Kindle Daily Deal! Shana recently reviewed this one and gave it an A : After I finished Just Playing House, I i...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/paranormal-romance-lorraine-heath-more/

Jolenta Greenberg and Kristen Meinzer are podcasting powerhouses with shows like By the Book and How to be Fine With Friends. This season they’re looking at friendship, the research behind sust...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/podcast/632-being-fine-with-friends-with-jolenta-greenberg-and-kristen-meinzer/

YOU SHOULD BE SO LUCKY RECOMMENDED: You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian is $1.99! Big thank you to everyone who let us know about this one. Lara reviewed it and gave it a B : I’m in an ...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/historical-romance-a-mystery-more-2/

Lara asked this question recently regarding her own reading, and I’d been pondering it since then until I came across this article from Sophie Vershbow: “When Is it Okay to Not Finish a Book?...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/when-do-you-dnf-a-book-and-why/

Welcome back, everyone! Have the seasons changed yet for you? We’re getting there in New England. We’re certainly in the transitioning stage where it’s cold in the morning, but warms up by ...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/links-music-glass-blowing-more/

EVOCATION Evocation by S.T. Gibson is $2.99! This one came out in May and is book one in a new, queer fantasy series by Gibson. Did any of you pick this one up? FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSE...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/sci-fi-magical-realism-more/

Joan Matthews is headed to her hometown because her father Trevon died. Like him, she is a witch. However, their relationship broke many years ago when she chose to become a war witch and kick as...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/reviews/consecrated-ground-by-virginia-black/

THE GENTLE ART OF FORTUNE HUNTING The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting by KJ Charles is 99c! Thanks to everyone who let us know about this sale. Take note that it has a new cover and a new ISBN, s...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/hockey-players-witches-more/

This HaBO request is from Mikayla, who wants to find this “why choose” romance: It’s a paranormal, why choose romance with a siren/mermaid princess as the female lead. She was living on lan...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/habo-why-choose-romance-with-a-pet-kraken/

Happy Tuesday! Welcome to the September 10th release week. Not a bad crop of new books. Arya mentioned that Alice Coldbreath has a new book out, slated for Monday, but as of writing this there ar...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/hide-your-wallet-september-10th-release-week/

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… for me anyway. The ‘bers (September, October, November, December) mean beautiful fall colors, cooler weather, and craft fairs. Next year I’m goin...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/wisconsin-sheep-wool-2024/

BOOKSHOP CINDERELLA Bookshop Cinderella by Laura Lee Guhrke is $3.99! This is book one in a series that started in Summer 2023. Book two in the series came out this summer. The heroine is a boo...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/mostly-historical-romances-4/

Welcome back to Cover Snark! From Pam G: There is a lot to see here, including wind machines in space. However, our hero has solved it with a plait! According to the Goog, this is called a Dutch ...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/cover-snark-pit-check/

If you’ve been hiding under a rock, you might not have heard about how this season of The Bachelorette ended. It’s…a lot. So grab an adult beverage because we’re about to get into it. Pi...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/elyse-watches-the-bachelorette-s21-e9-what-a-dick/

Our latest bestseller list is brought to you by baths at the perfect temperature, aromatherapy candles, and our affiliates sales data.

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/sbtb-bestsellers-august-24-september-6/

I’ve decided to take a really good look at the Contemporary Romance Colors that are most prevalent on covers this year and attempt to identify what is the CR-COTY, the Contemporary Romance Colo...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/contemporary-romance-color-of-the-year-green/

A DUKE BY DEFAULT RECOMMENDED: A Duke by Default by Alyssa Cole is $1.99 and a Kindle Daily Deal! We read this for my book club and we all agreed there wasn’t enough blacksmithing and sword-...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/a-freebie-contemporary-romance-more-3/

This month is positively overrun with A+ choices, and these five are just the tip of the iceberg. As we usher in a new season, remember that nothing’s more delicious with a pumpkin spice latte ...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/september-2024-queer-romances/

We’re going back to September 2015, and I want to ease you into this knowledge, so take a breath, center yourself: that was nine years ago. I don’t get it either but apparently it’s true? J...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/podcast/631-rt-rewind-september-2015-reviews/

In this week’s podcast episode, we’re looking at the book reviews for the September 2015 issue of RT Magazine. Thank you to Shannon Stacey for this issue! You can also find all the RTRW conte...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/romantic-times-rewind-september-2015-reviews/

FORGET ME NOT Forget Met Not by Julie Soto is $2.99 and a Kindle Daily Deal! This was Soto’s contemporary romance debut and I mentioned it on a previous Hide Your Wallet. I liked this one! Th...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/ice-cream-octopus-more/

This Rec League came from Babelfish. Thank you so much! Hi y’all – you did a wonderful post a while back on fat-positive historical romances, and generally y’all are super cool about callin...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/the-rec-league-supportive-through-body-dysmorphia/

Welcome back to Links! I very much enjoyed the collective snarking in the comments last week. I love it when a community comes together! For those in the States, I hope you had a pleasant Labor D...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/links-cover-songs-cover-models-more/

TRIPLE SEC Triple Sec by TJ Alexander is $1.99! This was mentioned in Dahlia’s Queer Romance Round-Up for June. I also remember a few other reviewers on staff being excited about it due to th...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/a-regency-mystery-contemporary-romance-more/

I know summer doesn’t technically end until September 22, but for me, the few days after Labor Day are the finale. It’s still plenty warm, but Joann’s* has Halloween out the wazoo and down ...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/what-was-your-book-of-the-summer/

Rich and I are both going into The Bachelorette tonight sick. We have some kind of virus  (luckily not Covid) and have taken all the cold medicines. Hard to say if that’s going to make this b...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/elyse-watches-the-bachelorette-s21-e8-so-boring/

THAT TIME I GOT DRUNK AND SAVED A DEMON RECOMMENDED: That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming is $2.99! I love the new covers! Carrie recently reviewed this one and gave it ...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/books-by-julie-james-tj-klune-more/

This HaBO is from Chelsea, who wants to find this book. Content warning for the death of a family: So I read a romance novel a while ago on a laptop that I no longer have. In the book, a young wo...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/habo-car-accident-on-the-way-to-a-waterpark/

Happy Tuesday! For those in the States, I hope you enjoyed the long weekend and prepped your TBR for today’s releases. (Or at least enjoyed the time, however you chose to spend it!) Lots of fan...

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/09/hide-your-wallet-september-3rd-release-week/